Happy Halloween!

Cheers and goblins and ghouls to you all!

And, many congratulations to our dear friends, J+A, on the newest addition to their family!  Welcome to the world, little pumpkin!

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A Big Reveal

I know I haven't been posting much...and there is a good reason.  

I was afraid I would burst.  I was afraid I would let out what has been brewing over the past year before it was ready to be known to others.  I was afraid that if I put the words here, then it would be real.  Really real.  Not fake real.  

I also needed to wait...out of respect for others, so I could cross some t's and dot some i's.  For some, it may not seem like a big thing, but in my world, that is pretty important.

And so...

I am leaving my job.  As of December 20 of this year, I will no longer be employed by the amazing nonprofit I have worked for during the past six years.  I am stepping away to spend more time on me and my family of two.  I am stepping away because I am tired of feeling imbalanced and guilty all the time.  I am stepping away so I can fully realize my life in Canada.

Over the past four years, having a foot in both the United States and Canada has been an adventure.  I have traveled to amazing places, and more importantly, have met people who have impacted my life in some incredible ways.  That being said, it has also been exhausting.  The constant travel, the time away from Dave and the lack of emphasis on my own happiness and health has been taxing on my system.  I am grateful for the opportunity, but I am also incredibly grateful to be in a place where I can take a step back...to breathe.

And, don't worry...I've got plans.  Big ones.  I will be traveling to Bali to obtain my yoga teacher training certification and I also would like to pursue my holistic nutrition counseling certificate as well.  Lucky for me, I have a partner who is whole-heartedly supportive and is eager to see me take on this next phase of my life (after I take a break and do nothing for a few months).

I am excited to spend time in one place and not be living out of a suitcase.  It will be wonderful to spend time at home and not be packing my bags after only one or two days.  I also know it will be a challenge.  I've held a job since I was thirteen - whether over the summers or during college - and not contributing to the household income will be a new adventure for me to experience.  That being said, I need this.

I need to focus on me and be true to myself and my emotions.  I need to recognize and fully appreciate that while the travel has been amazing, it has also been very difficult emotionally and physically.  

I am excited for this new part of my life to begin.  

And...to get back to blogging...

These Dusty Trails

I haven't written in a while.  Mainly because I'm not sure what to say.  The constant travel and lack of sleep along with training for two marathons and an ultra have taken a bit of a toll this year on my physically, mentally and emotionally.  Mind you, I am not complaining...I have an amazing life.  It is just my reality at the moment that my spare time is very little and very precious these days.

I did an assessment of where I've been and where I still have to go this year...the list is impressive...

In no particular order...

Detroit, MI

Philadelphia, PA

Kansas City, MO

Dallas, TX

San Antonio, TX

Charlotte, NC

Black Mountain, NC

Chicago, IL

New Orleans, LA

Atlanta, GA

Bayville, NJ

Orlando, FL

Prague, Czech Republic

Madison, WI

Albany, NY

Hartford, CT

Copenhagen/Ebeltoft/Engesvang, Denmark

Kelowna, BC

Canmore, AB

Panorama, BC

Invermere, BC

Cleveland, OH

Lake County, OH

Richmond, VA

Las Vegas, NV

Boston, MA

St. Louis, MO

Some places on the list were visited twice, three or even four times this year!

It's been an adventure.  That being said, some things are going to change.  "Stuff" is brewing!

A Month of Friendships

This past month has brought time with friends in far-flung places...from the Czech Republic to Denmark, from Moose Jaw to Canmore, Dave and I had time with good friends...friends that count as family in our world.

It's nice to know they are there.

In Prague, I had the chance to room with one of the people I am closest to.  She and I shared time walking and talking about our successes and fears.  We sat at cafes and delivered workshops together.  We explored and ate, cried and laughed.  Most importantly, we got to know one another even better than we did before.  Friendship reveals itself in the nooks and crannies of unexplored territories and while poring over maps when you try to find your way home (yes, both literally and figuratively).

In Denmark, we spent oodles of time with people we love across the pond.  Over dinners and by the ocean, we talked and caught up...it having been almost two years since we last saw one another.  We got to know each other better, sharing stories and histories in places Dave and I had never seen before and over meals that won't be repeated.  It was in Denmark I learned the power of friendship...the fact that those who truly love you will do whatever it takes to make your experience the best one possible.

In Canmore, our friends from Arizona greeted us with open arms during their vacation.  Again, after almost two years of not seeing them, it was time to reconnect and just love on each other a little bit.  We solved the world's problems over some brews while basking in the shadows of the mountains.  They were there to support me on my first mountain trail run with words of encouragement.  Once again, true friendship reveals itself in those who will give you a high-five and hug when you are sweaty and dusty from over six hours on the trail.

I am grateful for the people that have let us into their lives.

Quick Pics...Love, Denmark

From Prague I headed to Copenhagen to meet up with Dave for a week-long adventure in Denmark.  

Denmark is magic and I have so much more to share, but I am in between flights as I am back on the road for work...so these quick pics (a la iPhone) will have to suffice.  

Let's just say I need more time to spend working on my relationship with Denmark..in the very best of ways.   Like, a good year in country...that should do it.

 That is all...for now!  I'll fill you in with more details soon!

Pics from Praha

Friends.  I've been in Prague since last Friday for work.

I know.  My job is tough.

Last Thursday I hopped a flight from Regina to Calgary, Calgary to Frankfurt and then Frankfurt to Prague.  It sounds like a lot of flying, but in reality, I spent more time in the airports due to long layovers than on planes.  Luckily, because I travel so much, I have status on an airline and that gets me into lounges wherever I fly (that means free food and quiet spaces to catch up on work while I'm on the road). 

Like I said, I know...it's tough.

So, however many time zone changes later, I got to Prague late Friday afternoon and walked out to meet one of my closest friends, Sarah, at the arrivals terminal.  Sarah and I are delivering some trainings together in Prague and I am so happy to be here with her.  We've walked and walked and talked and walked some more.  We've sat at cafes and endured the unbearable heat and monster storms that have shrouded the city over the past week.  We've had amazing food and enjoyed learning more about this city (we've both been here before and are both committed to taking a much more relaxed approach to our visit).

We are staying in an amazing apartment in the Old Jewish Quarter which helps us save money on food.  VRBO, baby!  Make it happen when you travel!  

In short, it's been a great week.  I'll write more later.

Here are some of my favorite stops and events so far...

Nostress Gallery and Restaurant

Café Savoy

Můj šálek kávy

Running along the Vltava River

Pivo (beer) that is cheaper than water

Good friends coming over for a pasta dinner

Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) - so lovely!

Kampa Park 

The Long Run

I've been training for my two marathons and ultramarathon.  It's been a lot of fun, but also tiring as fitting in running when on the road 80 percent of the time means dealing with jet lag and running on treadmills in hotels at odd hours of the day and night.

Travel is a lonely business for me.  While I am surrounded by people in airport lounges and on flights, for the most part, I am on my own.  I move from place to place, eating the same food and listening to the same safety announcements time and again.  Smiling at others as they move through the same travel-induced haze that takes over after 70 segments of flying on one airline online this year...and it's not even fall yet!

That being said, I find my solace in the run.  It calms me, grounds me and puts my body back into a familiar rhythm.  Pair that with some yoga and I'm singing a good song.

While running, especially alone, is perceived by some of my friends to be a lonely endeavor, I never truly feel alone.  Take a 19-miler I did a few weekends back as an example. 

I started out the run, Camelback strapped on, energy chews in place and trail runners securely on my feet.  The morning dawned bright and warm and I was ready to get out there and tackle the miles on trail and road.  From the start, something was off.  I felt tired, I had landed the night before from a work trip and hadn't yet stretched enough to bring the jet legs back to earth. By mile four, I could tell I was moving pretty slow and that this run was going to be a grind.

I got down to Wakamow Valley in Moose Jaw where I have to do several repeats of trails.  The ground was super muddy, aided by some heavy rain that occurred the night before.  Coming out of the Valley, I decided to switch to the road off the trail to avoid some of the slippery ground.  In order to hop back on the muddy path, I needed to jump a low chain.

Chalk it up to tired legs and me just not paying particular attention, but instead of sailing over the chain, my shins hit it, tangled and tossed me face-first onto the ground.  I immediately got up, embarrassed and looking around to see if anyone captured my fall-from-grace-face-plant.  Lucky for me, it didn't appear anyone had and I limped my way over to a bench, sobbing and watching huge red and purple welts take over my lower legs.

I immediately called Dave and asked for a pickup.  I then texted my friend, Jac, who I was planning on meeting up with at the halfway point for a few miles together to let her know I wasn't going to be making it.  Dave came around and I climbed into the car, still crying and feeling stressed about how I wasn't going to complete the 19 miles I set out to do that day.  He drove me home and a battle ensued between my desire to get back out there, my unhappy mental state and large knobs that were coming up on my shins as the redness increased.  

I never run alone...and what follows demonstrated that in more ways than one.  Dave turned my head around, drove me back to the spot of the fall and sent me back on my way.  Jac texted and supplied some much-needed support in letters across a screen.  As I neared the halfway point, she passed in her car and gave a honk and a wave to let me know I was looking okay.  Her husband, Blake, ended up passing me in their other vehicle after the halfway point and he stopped and chatted with me for a good five minutes...enough to let me know there were friends out there who cared.  Dave checked in on me through phone calls and texts and even drove out with 6 miles to go to offer love and support the only way he knows how to do.

The day was really long...even though it was a few weeks ago, I still have bruises on my shins as a reminder of that day.  However the good vibes and love I felt carried me home and reminded me that even when I feel alone, there will always be family out there to support and carry you through the toughest times.

I love running...it keeps me grounded and feeling connected...even across the miles.